TENNIS

Southland Times, Issue 21662, 26 March 1932, Page 14

TENNIS

(By

“Chop.”)

Season nearing its close. Otago Easter tournament now in full swing. Southland competitors should be prominent.

Roxburgh tournament has also attracted local players.

B grade competition concludes next Saturday. Kennington are in an unassailable position.

Southend are worthy winners of the C Grade competition. They will play their concluding game, that against Kennington, to-day, but the result cannot affect the issue.

D. S. McLeod and Miss eMlvin are popular winners of the Galloway Cups for 193132. There is talk of a tennis ball being held this year. Let. us hope it will materialize, for players from the various clubs have little opportunity for fraternizing (and sororizing, if there is such a word). There are some promising girls at the Gore High School. Senior and junior teams from this school defeated the Southland girls last Saturday. It was surprising to see Miss Cutt beaten 7—2. Her opponent, Miss Earl, used a cut shot to such advantage that there is great scope for a pun—but I shall curb my desire. Miss J. Wilson, who showed good form in the Northern Town match was another Gore girl who impressed, though Miss Farmer ran her to 7—6. Miss A. Pollok and Miss J. Lamont are two promising Southlanders. The weather was perfect and the Georgetown courts in good order for the Galloway Cup matches and an interesting and enjoyable afternoon’s tennis resulted. In the men’s event there were two surprises, both Sumpter and Deaker being eliminated in the first round. Lindsay thoroughly deserved his win against Sumpter. His driving, particularly in the second set, was good, his backhand a great improvement on last year’s and his lobbing judged to a nicety. Sumpter is taking his tennis too light-heartedly to do well. Spectators were privileged to see much splendid driving in the Deaker —McLeod match. Deaker led in the first set, only to be overhauled and passed by the Gore champion. The second set was Deaker’s all the way and it was generally thought that he would take the third. McLeod, however, clapped on the pace and led s—l. Deaker then put in a strong challenge, but he had made the mistake of leaving his run too late. McLeod was the better man on the day and his display showed clearly that his game has improved this season. Probably both Lindsay and McLeod were feeling the effects of their three-set* games when they began the final; but it was Lindsay whose game was the more affected. Previous occasions on which these two have met have shown that a 6 —3, 6—2 victory rathers flatters McLeod. Yet so well was McLeod playing on Saturday that. I fancy Lindsay, no matter how fresh, would have had to acknowledge defeat, though not by such a big margin. It was no mean feat of the Winton veteran’s to beat Sumpter. Ilad he come through successfully in. the final he wotdd have had congratulations heaped upon him. But there could be no more popular win than Mcljeod’s. He plays for the game’s sake, he thinks nothing of coming to Invercargill from Gore many times in a season, he never finds it “inconvenient” to travel with a rep. team, his court demeanour is a model. May he gain many more honours in Southland tennis!

Miss Melvin, the outstanding lady player in Southland, retained the cup without difficulty. All the ladies’ matches were well worth watching, clean hitting and bright net exchanges characterizing the play. Miss Mahoney was called in at the last minute to replace Miss Guest (who was otherwise engaged) and sportingly agreed to play. She struck Miss Wade right on her game, but put up a good fight. Miss Tapley went for a hit against Miss Melvin and had she got her eye in earlier she might have proved troublesome, but she left her run too late. Miss Melvin saw Miss Wade’s weak points and this accounted for the 6 —l, 6—o score in her favour, for against- any other player MLss Wade’s game would have brought her many more points. A word of praise is due to the Georgetown ladies for their hospitality and the Georgetown men, particularly J. Clarkson, for umpiring so many games.

The Southland C grade team, winners of the competition, would have extended some of the B grade teams this season. It is gratifying to see so many procising youngsters in a club. Next year the Association will probably lessen the number of teams in the B grade competition and add a few to the C grade. The B grade games last Saturday were characterized by remarkably close finishes. Two matches were decided on games, since the seta were even; and in the other three matches the margin was only 9—7. Rugby Park fully extended Kennington. All the men’s events were won by Rugby Park, and all the ladies’ events by Kennington. The issue hinged on the mixed doubles and here Kennington proved superior. The Rugby Park team has shown marked improvement during the season. They will be very near the top of the tree in B grade next year.

For Kennington to have come through so many, matches without defeat speaks volumes for their enthusiasm and ability. In a ladder match played last Friday Hanan defeated Cockerill 7—5, 6—4. Hanan is playing particularly well just now.